Dorothy Cheng, who graduated from West Dean College's Metalwork Conservation MA last year, is on a 10-week internship with the New York City parks department's Citywide Monuments Conservation Program.

After completing the MA in Conservation Studies at West Dean, I served as an assistant for six weeks in the conservation studio of Michael Parfett in London. Michael works primarily on harps, harpsichords and frames, and the short work placement offered the opportunity to gain experience in conserving musical instruments, decorative surfaces and gilding.

West Dean College student Tabea Rude has received a prize for the best conservation-restoration project from the Southern Section of the Antiquarian Horological Society (AHS) as part of the prize-giving ceremony for all West Dean programmes.